’10 Media Allstars Ready for Pro Class
- Updated: February 25, 2010
The 2010 version of the Media Allstars is set, and ready for action. The biggest changes in team history will make for an exciting new chapter in the Media Allstars story. For starters, the team is venturing into the Pro Class with a strong two man effort in the way of rookie Pro, and long time team member #18 Cody Grant, and veteran Pro #99 Pat Brown. Backing the Pro effort are long time team sponsors Maxxis, Maxima Lubricants, Yoshimura R&D of America, G4 Graphics, Hinson Clutch Components, Powermadd, Uni Filters, Outerwears, Quad Tech, Precision Steering Stabilizers, EVS, O’neal, & Rath Racing. Joining them are title sponsors Lonestar Racing, & Golden West Cycles, as well as HiPer Technologies, and Galfer Brakes.
“It’s an exciting, yet scary time for the Team. We’re jumping into the deep end of the pool, and while we’re confident in our abilities, it’s still the deep end. Luckily we’ve got the best support in the sport, Yoshimura’s motors are undeniably at the top of the food chain, Lonestar is getting ready to shock the industry with the products we’re using, and Golden West has backed some of the best racers in the sport. When you combine that backing, with two Pro riders with something to prove, there’s potential for greatness.” said Team Manager Jorge Cuartas. While Cody Grant will stick to his trusty, and proven Suzuki City backed Suzuki LTR450, Pat Brown will be aboard a Honda TRX450R. “Believe it or not, the main reason we chose two different brands this season was our sponsors; companies want to highlight their entire product line these days, and thankfully we were able to accommodate.” The last difference between the two machines will be shocks; Cody will ride Öhlins suspension, while Pat rides Fox Racing Shox.
Long known as an amateur team, the 2010 foray into the Pro ranks is a natural progression. “Cody has been on the team for four years now, and with the economy the way it is, companies weren’t exactly fighting over rookies, and he was going to be stuck on his own. He’s been a huge asset to us since ’07 on and off the track. He picks up the slack for me when I’m swamped, and we weren’t about to let him do this by himself. I’d be lying if I said that the timing is perfect, but we’re attacking this the same way we always do: half assed.
[Editor’s Note: for those that don’t know Jorge, he’s joking here. Those that do know him know that he doesn’t do anything half-assed.] Seriously, we’re hoping to make a splash, and that’s where Pat Brown comes in. Pat and I have been friends for years, and while he didn’t exactly set the world on fire last season, he’s got more untapped potential and speed than just about anybody, he’s also a true professional in every sense of the word. He doesn’t require much hand holding, and knows what it’s going to take to compete at this level. He’s leading the charge for us in more ways than one.”
Pat Brown
As for amateurs, they’re not exactly being left out in the cold. Long time Media Allstar Chase Cunningham, and his Morehead Motorsports shop will be taking over the Amateur team support with plans to keep the Media Allstars the top amateur team in the sport. When asked about the deal, Cuartas had this to say, “I’ve gotten offers from people in the past about franchising, or subbing out the [Media Allstars] name, and it’s never been the right fit. Chase has been behind the scenes with the team forever, and he knows what I expect, and how to run things. He’s a go getter, and that’s what it takes to stay ahead in this game. I’m 100% confident that the 2010 Media Allstars/ Morehead Motorsports Am team will be among the best yet.”
Chase added, “I’m really excited to have a support team roster that is so deep on talent, we’ve got several 2009 national champions on board and just about everyone has seen time on the podium, so we should be up front all season long!”
Cody Grant”
The support team is basically a farm system for us this year. The Media Allstars name has always been associated with top notch amateur support and domination. This year we decided to branch out and offer more support to the grass roots of the sport with the C and B classes.”
“In the end it’s our intention to use our support team to fill our main amateur team roster for 2011 and continue to be the cream of the crop when it comes to amateur support!” continued Chase.
“Sponsor wise our Amateur and Support teams will use most of the sponsors that our Pro team is using this season, with the main differences being that our Am/Support programs are getting title sponsorship from Morehead Motorsports. We’ll also be running Fox shox, ITP tires, testing for both ATV Rider Magazine, and ATV On Demand.com, and wearing ONE Industries gear.”
Lastly, the team will continue its’ Side By Side/ UTV Racing efforts through Josh Starrett, Jorge Cuartas, and Jake Brattain. The three Polaris RZR mounted racers will contest the UTV rounds of the GNCC series, as well as Indiana, Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama, & Tennessee regional races, and local series. All three RZRs are backed by different sets of sponsors but you can bet they’ll all be at the top of the results.
The Media Allstars plan on stepping things up across the board for 2010, and GNCC, Snow Cross, Supercross, and Women’s Motocross are just a few of the steps that are in the works.
